TOKYO: It really is worth it.

Four full days of being overwhelmed by the neon lights, cherry blossoms and unbelievably mouth-watering food. Welcome to Tokyo!

I don’t even know where to begin. We decided to stop over in Tokyo after two weeks of soaking up the sun in the Philippines. It’s a mere four hour flight from Manila and quite possibly the furthest point I’ve ever visited. It also shares the same time zone as Australia so that in my opinion is far!

I’ve captioned my images with useful info and travel tips so I hope you find this useful and inspirational if/when planning your trip.

Things to note:

City Transport: The Suica card is the Oyster equivalent for Tokyo. Buy a card upon arrival and top up as you travel.

Airport Transport: Tokyo is expensive and a typical one hour airport transfer could cost up to £200 for two people. We used an express shuttle from Narita Airport. It’s very accessible from the airport and luggage friendly.

Vegetarian: My husband is a meat eater whilst I’m a veggie. I wanted to ensure that we visited the best restaurants which catered for both. I didn’t want to deprive hubby from all the exciting food so pre booking is ideal.

Accommodation: We stayed in Shinjuku which is in the city centre. Shinjuku is an ideal spot located near Metro transport links, restaurants, and bars. Other places to consider are Harajuku and Shibuya if you’re looking for convenience and atmosphere.

The Monster Café: We chose to eat at Monster café because of its online popularity and reviews. However, I was surprised that when asking for directions, the locals had no idea where it was (we asked a lot of locals). It was very visual which was great but aside from that I wasn’t impressed. It felt more like a tourist gimmick which wasn’t a true reflection of Tokyo. We prefer local flavours and getting lost in the city and if you’re anything like us then I wouldn’t recommend it.

Tsukiji Fish Market: If you’re a foodie sushi lover then you have to visit Tsukiji. We didn’t go but the locals couldn’t recommend it enough. The best time to visit the fish market is at 8am to see the freshest fish prep. Here you’ll find the freshest sushi eateries if that’s your thing.

Shibuya Crossing: Do not miss this. This is the iconic crossing at the heart of Tokyo and the best time to visit is between 7-9pm. Post 9pm, expect to see the commuters and tourists reduce. You’ll also see tourists crossing multiple times to get the perfect shot so set your camera on multiple shooting mode and be prepared.

We visited Shinjuku National Park which was a twenty minute walk from our hotel. There was a very small charge to enter the park but it’s totally worth it. We just about caught the cherry blossom and I’d recommend visiting during the early days of April if you really want to see it. The streets of Harajuku are sprawling with cute crepe and sweet shops like this. It’s a VERY indulgent experience so ensure you visit on an empty stomach. Harajuku is located in the heart of the city and is a short train ride from Shinjuku where we were staying.A traditional tea ritual at Shinjuku National Park.

Ramen noodles are a staple for the busy city workers of Tokyo. We visited Ramen Street- a narrow indoor corridor at the heart of Tokyo station. Here, you’ll find Ramen cafes everywhere. The choice is endless and as vegetarian I was pretty impressed with the choice of Ramen.We stayed at the Shinjuku Granbell Hotel located at the heart of the city. Shinjuku is very accessible and near to all the key tourist locations including the famous Shibuya crossing and Robot restaurant.

My husband insisted we go here. When he mentioned ‘gaming’, I immediately thought, ‘not for me’. I was so wrong. This was by far the most colourful and surreal place I have EVER visited. Akihabara Road was oozing in neon lights and gaming stores. I felt like I was in a videogame and I couldn’t recommend it enough.

Many things that are popular in Japan with foreign visitors are quite different from what those of us who live here like to do…such as the Monster Cafe you mentioned, the Robot Restaurant, Mari-Carts, the monkey park in Kyoto, and Fushimi-Inari Taisha in Kyoto. Those are all popular with foreign tourists…but not so much with locals. So, some of them aren’t even known to many locals!